(To do this, go to "Notes" under applications in Facebook, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
25. I always drag my feet in following a trend. Sometimes it is because I'm lazy. Sometimes it just takes that long for me to get used to the look of certain fashions or the sound of new music. I picked up Survivor and American Idol late in their first seasons. I still wear pointy-toed shoes. And it's taken me weeks upon weeks after receiving my first 25 Things About Me tag before writing my own.
24. People usually think I look younger than I really am. At the age of 18 and again at 22, I was offered a 12 and under child's discount. The first time I was vaguely offended and declined. The second time I eagerly accepted the fraudulent discount. However, my appearance seems to be catching up with and surpassing my age at last. Last week, I met someone who was surprised to learn my real age and then told me that it must be because I "dress kind of old." Maybe it's the pointy-toed shoes. I'm going shopping tomorrow.
23. I've been mistaken as my husband's daughter on two separate occasions. However, it is unclear if it is because I looked so young or because he looked so old....
22. I've been mistaken as a Filipino helper more times than I can count. It usually happen during pick up at school. I think it is because I always wear jeans, t-shirts, and flip flops, weather permitting. One time I went to the Immigration Office with our helper, Josie. The guy behind the desk thought I was the helper and Josie was the employer. That pretty much made Josie's week.
21. I am also regularly mistaken for being Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese - usually by people of that respective ethnicity. If I were an actress, I could make millions as the Asian female response to Lou Diamond Phillips, playing any Asian ethnic role.
20. Supposedly I am 100% Chinese, but I have suspicions that my grandmother or great-grandmother had a little somethin-somethin on the side. How else can you explain my supposedly 100% Chinese father's naturally curly hair and hairy legs, and the fact that he is always mistaken for an Italian when he travels alone in Europe?
19. I love reading. No matter how late it is, I have to read at least half an hour in bed, or I won't be able to fall asleep. I've read all of my favorite books at least 10 times. If I find a great book, I can rip through it in less than 24 hours. Then, upon finishing the last page of the book, I will immediately flip back to the first page and start all over again at a slower pace. And I derive an equal amount of pleasure with that second reading.
18. I pretty much enjoy all genres of books, but I particularly love romance novels. I prefer discreet covers, but I am not ashamed to buy a bodice-ripper cover. However, I have never read a book with Fabio on the cover.
17. I also love chick flicks. Give me a teeny bopper flick over an Oscar contender drama any day. High School Musical 3 was one of my favorite movies last year. Thank God I have kids to take with me!
16. At one point while we were living in California, we simultaneously owned four cars for just the two of us. Our neighbors seriously thought Michael worked at a car dealership. At that time, I accidentally hit every single one of those cars while trying to park or pull out of the garage with one of the other cars. I was pregnant during many of those accidents and I still argue that it was the hormones that screwed with my normally excellent driving skills.
15. One of the things I miss most in Hong Kong is driving. Especially singing while driving. When I go back to the States, the first thing I do is strap the kids n the car, turn on the radio full blast, and go joy-riding for at least an hour with no particular destination in mind.
14. I also miss Barnes & Noble and Target. I could spend hours in those stores, happily browsing around. Part of their allure is the fact that they both usually have Starbucks retail outlets in them.
13. I am completely addicted to Starbucks. And it's not even the caffeine. For years, I visited Starbucks to order a grande soy steamer, which is just warm soy milk. Acknowledging it was ridiculous to pay over $3.00 per cup, I tried bringing in a carton of soy milk to work and heating it up in the microwave. But it just wasn't the same, and I admitted defeat after 2 weeks of misery. Of course I am not addicted to my grande skim latte. But there are much worse vices one could have, so I don't fight it.
12. As a junior in college, I got one of three A+ awarded in an economics class willed with both undergrad and grad students. I actually think I got that grade because of one specific office hour visit with the professor when I wore a sundress with a loose, low cut bodice. At one point during the meeting, I bent over to get a pencil out of my backpack and looked up to find him staring down my cleavage (I had one back then before the three kids). I swear it wasn't planned! But in retrospect, I should have worn that dress around campus a lot more. My grade point average would have thanked me for it!
11. I always wanted to be a writer, but I am too lazy to actually finish anything. Once every could of weeks is about as frequent as I can get with my blog, and I don't even want to say how many entries I've started but never gotten around to finishing. In fact, I'm doubling this Note as a blog entry. That's how lazy I am.
10. As a child, I once told my dad that I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up so I could wear suits to work. My dad then suggested that Century 21 real estate agens also wore suits, so maybe I should add that to my short list as well. I ended up working in product management at Internet companies with casual dress codes. The only times I've had to wear suits were for job interviews. Now I am a Hong Kong tai tai/Filipino helper who only wears jeans, t-shirts, and flip flops.
9. I used to believe that everyone had one special talent, that if only they could discover and nurture it, they could become one of the acknowledged "bests" in their field. I lived in terror that my life would pass me by without discovering my talent, or even worse, that mine would be something like "best garbage collector in the world."
8. I only have the wherewithal to take on one self-improvement project at a time Last year, I started tennis and am now completely addicted. This year. I'd like to begin guitar lessons. Somewhere deep down and unacknowledged, I think I have a secret fantasy of becoming a rock star. This must be my form of a mid-life crisis.
7. I have a secret desire to lose enough weight to be disparagingly called a waif and have random busybodies on the street tell me to eat a Big Mac. However, I've finally come to terms with the fact that I love food way to much for this to ever happen. If they ever brought back those diet pills with the tapeworms, I would seriously consider them for at least a minute.
6. The first time I ever described myself as "fat" was in the 6th grade. Some genius public health program required that everyone in class be publicly weight. I did not actually think I was "fat" at 80 lbs, but all the other girls were lamenting their weight, so I did too. When our daughter was born, I promised myself that I would teach her to have a positive body image. Her early nicknames, Chubby Too in utero and Chunky Butt as a toddler, are probably indicators that I need to work a little harder at that.
5. Michael and my parents are family friends, and we've known each other since I was at least 9 years old. We started dating during my sophomore year in college. Despite our jokes, there is no proof that money, goods, or other financial incentives were ever offered by either set of parents for us to begin dating.
4. I used to always give Michael a box of much needed socks and boxers for Christmas, and he would always give me a completely unnecessary but much anticipated new cell phone. I think I got the better end of that deal.
3. On a regular basis, I try to remind myself of all the things I love about and am grateful for in Michael. He is solid and dependable. He's a great father who can make the kids giggle at the drop of a hat, yet still be able to scare them straight with one stern look. Not least on the list is the fact that he lets me read in bed with the light on, even if he's trying to go to sleep, and he keeps the light dimmed when he gets ready in the morning so I can sleep in. Now that is true love.
2. The last time I kissed Guinness goodbye in front of his friends, he didn't say anything but looked so uncomfortable that I made a mental note to not do it again. However, he is still fine with holding my hand in public, and I treasure the feel of his warm little hand in mind.
1. I honestly believe that a hug from your kids every day will keep the doctor away. And every kiss will add an additional day to your life. Luckily Guinness, Cayman, and Ellington are willing (at least at home) to give me so many hugs and kisses (fish kisses, piggy kisses, butterfly kisses, Eskimo kisses....) that I just might live forever.
